My First Job: Alison Beardsley

EDITOR’S NOTE: We’re doing a series on recruitAbility employees’ first jobs and the lessons they learned. Below we hear from Alison Beardsley, senior recruiter at recruitAbility. To read other posts in this series, click here.

Recruiting is in my blood. At 15 years old, I became interested in recruiting and wanted to get involved. I began my first job as a part-time employee at the recruiting firm where my father worked at the time. And I worked there for two summers.

In the role, I spent my days becoming familiar with resumes and entering the information into a database. I got paid $7 an hour, which was big money for me at the time!

The work may seem monotonous, but I loved it. There was no better way to learn about all of the different jobs and careers that people have. It was way more impactful than learning about these careers and jobs from a college guidance counselor. I didn’t want to just go through the motions, so I reviewed each resume carefully.

Also, when I entered these people’s names and resumes into the database, I knew I was beginning the process for them to find their dream jobs. That was really exciting for me. I also loved learning how to work with a database. There was a lot of technology involved.

The only downside was being stuck inside the office in the summertime!

What I remember most is the work ethic required to be successful. There’s no way to be successful if you cut corners. Even though my friends were enjoying the summer, I knew my work experience would pay off down the line – and it has!

It also was incredible to watch my dad in his element, running the company and working side-by-side with me. The biggest lesson I learned that I still carry with me is the value of building relationships. It’s funny because here I am recruiting again with my dad!